


The one who stayed

by Rogercat



Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Arafinwean Week 2019, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Hope, Married Characters, Married Couple, Parenthood, Post-Darkening of Valinor, Royalty, Sharing a Bed, Tirion, Valinor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-15
Updated: 2019-07-15
Packaged: 2020-06-28 17:06:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19816717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rogercat/pseuds/Rogercat
Summary: Finarfin feels guilt over not coming back with any of his children, but Eärwen comforts him





	The one who stayed

It all started with a random question, when they had gone to bed but not fallen asleep yet. 

“Am I a faithless person?”

Eärwen had wanted to finish some of her embroidery, looked up from her hands to look at her husband. With her new duties as Queen Consort at his side, they rarely had time to speak with each other under the day before this time at night. 

“What do you mean, Ara?” 

The King of the Noldor had not moved in bed, his back against her so she saw only his golden head, but she could hear on his voice that something was wrong. 

“Am I faithless for not following my brothers into Exile? For failing to make any of our five children remain with us?” 

Oh, _those_ feelings of guilt was haunting him again. Eärwen knew how much it did hurt Arafinwë, the fear of having done the wrong choice by staying behind in Valinor. 

“Had you not stayed, then who would have our children return to? Their mother, possibly returning to her own people, whose blood they had spilled? To a empty home with none of the parents living there? With no way of knowing whatever their father was alive or joining them in the Halls of Mandos, as news for me to know from their lips?” 

She was harsh with her words, but she knew that it would make him react. And indeed, Arafinwë turned around to face her, his Noldorin grey eyes seeming even lighter because he had inherited the golden hair of his Vanaryin mother Indis instead of the classical black hair among the Noldor like his brothers.

“You are right, beloved. The Noldor needed a leader, and with three of my siblings choosing Exile and my oldest sister following my mother to live among the Vanyar, the people which my mother was born among, the choice was either between me, the youngest of the five children sired by my father, or making a new family the royal family of the Noldor.” 

Arafinwë had always tried to not be involved in the disagreements between Curufinwë and Nolofinwë, partly helped by that as the youngest sibling, they had already been adults when he was young. Still, there had been a time when the three brothers had managed to get along somewhat, mainly thanks to both the joys and horrors of fatherhood. That their children often visited their cousins once they were old enough to leave the house by themselves, made it hard to avoid each other. 

“We may not know if our children will be returned to us, but I will not allow myself to think that they will be lost for us forever, that we will never see them again. Or never get to meet any grandchildren they might bless us with.” 

Because Arafinwë was the youngest among his siblings, his own children born more closely to the ages of their cousins, he and Eärwen had only managed to welcome one daughter-in-law into the family before the Exile. Eldalótë, not blessed with foresight but still fearing the unknown dangers of Middle-earth, had not been pressed by Angaráto to follow him but instead requested her to remain with his parents if she so wished. 

“Yes...if our children returns, there might be hope for our family to be blessed with a new generation in time eventually. That is a hope we must hold on to.” 

For the first time that day, Arafinwë showed a hint to a smile as Eärwen pressed her forehead against his, feeling the marriage bond between their souls. 

“No matter what, they will always remain our dear, beloved children and they shall never have to fear to be rejected for choosing Exile over us.” 

It was a promise between them as a married couple and as the happy parents to five wonderful children, four sons and a daughter, not as a King and his Queen who ruled over a changed people. 

**Author's Note:**

> Angaráto is the Quenya name of Angrod, and while I know there is a version where he and his wife Eldalótë are the parents of Orodreth, I prefer the Silmarillion version where Orodreth is a son of Finarfin instead


End file.
